Re: Supply @ 14 days

She did think it seemed low considering how long we were at it, but she said that can be normal with the shield. I did ask her about this but I think it got lost in the shuffle. Her primary concerns are getting him fed via bottle and getting him to latch. I don't think she's concerned with how much he gets at the nipple.

As awesome as she is she's going away for two weeks and is unreachable until she gets back except via email, and I am not going to bug her while she's on vacation so I took Auderey's invitation to keep coming here for help and support.

At this point I am going to backtrack and try for very short sessions and just get him comfortable. I am going to keep him fed via the bottle and not push for latches long enough to be a feeding. I do feel like I know my baby and he's feeling anxious about it, as am I so I think backing off and regrouping and just going for comfort is the way to go at this point.

Oh and she weighed him in his diaper both times so I don't think whether or not he peed matters? But I do believe he did.

Re: Supply @ 14 days

of course you can come here for support! I am sorry if my post implied that you can not.

I am afraid you are on information/input overload. (And yes I know I have given you way more input than anyone else.) Your ibclc has seen you & baby and so knows your situation in a way none of us can and you have expressed confidence in her. That is why I keep suggesting go back to her.

My first ibclc went on a 2 week vaca right after I first saw her. Luckily she refrred me to another ibclc for follow up which i certainly needed. Or I would have called her.

What ever happened re: possible retained placenta?

yeah i am not sure if baby wetting the diaper matters if dipe was not changed.

Re: Supply @ 14 days

Re the placenta issue: My OB said that I shouldn't still be bleeding red at this point but that *some* women do. As long as I'm not bleeding heavily they said it isn't urgent.... so they made an appointment for Wednesday to check into it. In the meantime I've tried to do as little as possible and it seems to have stopped... for the time being. it has stopped and restarted before, so I dunno what to think about that. Will just have to wait and see.

My nipple shield has gone missing. I think my 5 year old took it and hid it somewhere and has possibly taken it back to her father's. She is struggling with joint custody (whereas she has always been primarily with me) and with the new baby, and she loves her stepfather and tried to take one of his around the house shoes back to her father's house, and now the shield is missing. I don't want to push her and make her feel badly if she DID take it because it's just her acting out some stuff she's going through, but we're really not able to afford another one at the moment so wow, it just seems like the world really wants us not to latch!!! I know this is ridiculous but man this is frustrating.

Re: Supply @ 14 days

i always heard htat if i saw more blood post-partum it was a sign i was pushing too hard physically. there IS a big open wound in the uterus where the placenta attached, so that makes sense. hope that is all it is!

so sorry about the nipple shield. how much does one cost? i didn't realize they were very much. i would weigh the cost of replacing against the cost of even one bottle of formula ... man that stuff is expensive!

Re: Supply @ 14 days

There may be something to this casual thing... I read I should just take my shirt off and let him hang out with me and so I was laying there and he got super fussy. Husband went to get some milk out of the fridge but it was really cold and he wanted to warm it up a bit- so I just sort of casually offered him my bare breast (still can't find the shield and babies r us is closed) and he just sort of opened wide and latched on! He latched and drank for a while, and then burped and spit up a bit, which is proof he got something... I tried to switch him to the left but he fussed so we just said okay and gave him the bottle. Afterwards he had this really thoughtful quiet moment where he snuggled up to me and seemed really comfortable.

Apifera, I am so, so sorry you think anyone minds you posting. I AM SO SORRY. YES, I get frustrated. It probably shows in my posts sometimes. But I am frustrated because nothing I am suggesting is helping. And I worry that in tryingto help, I make things worse sometimes. NOT because I don’t want to help and keep helping! As long as you want help here, you have got it. You also have lots to offer other moms as well. I hope you hang around these forums for a long, long time.

Re: Supply @ 14 days

Meg: You've been nothing but helpful and nice to me. Please don't think you made me feel unwelcome. I just wasn't sure if I was being too needy. Most threads around here don't seem as long as this one.

Baby has always had no problem latching to the right when he's in the mood- though it's rarely a good latch and he's only been in the mood once in a blue moon... AND he has never opened wide and just gotten on the nipple in such a classically good way... so I know now he CAN do it.

The left is softer or something... other people can see it. Me, I'm not sure how it's different but he doesn't recognize it without the shield.

My worry about the right is it's ultra slow in let down and on the pump it puts out way way less, but now I'm not worried because he clearly ate!

Really excited and heartened by this.

Off topic a bit: My right breast which always gives me one ounce to the left's 3 gives me an entire two and a half more when I pump at night. What's up with that?! Being relaxed makes THAT much of a difference? If so I need to find my zen during the day somehow!

Re: Supply @ 14 days

pumping different amounts on different sides, and baby having a preference, are both totally normal and in fact typical. neither is a problem. and in fact some babies have SUCH a preference that they end up nursing on just 1 side their whole lives! which is also not a problem, unless it makes you lopsided and you don't like the aesthetics

but also, YESSSSS - being relaxed makes that much of a difference!

what do you mean by "ultra slow in let down"? i have a feeling you're exaggerating/don't know what's normal - 2-3 mins is normal before letdown.

Re: Supply @ 14 days

It can be ten minutes or more, Auderey. I have an app on my phone I time feeding/pumping with so I'm pretty certain about the time- and the LC also noted it's slow.

But again I'm realizing it's a comfort/relaxation thing. I believe I mentioned we just moved back to the states and we don't have a lot of furniture. I'm often BFing on a futon on the floor without back support and it hurts quite a bit, so I think that inhibits my let down. Once hubby's paychecks at his new job start stacking up I think we need a recliner!